MHA: Horizon(Ope-Ope No Mi)

Chapter 37: (Fading Symbol, Paradigm Shift)

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CHAPTER START---

Suddenly appearing beside Nezu on one of the couches in the principal office, Horizon closes his ROOM and relaxes. He leans his sword against the wall, placing one of his throwing cards on the coffee table.

"I should leave this here if I'm gonna be in here often," he says.

Recovery Girl and Yagi sit opposite them, and the woman just shakes her head. "I've always imagined warping Quirks as these great mythical abilities...but yours is rather abrupt and annoying."

"But more effective in combat than having to make a portal," Horizon says. "So, aside from you two who else knows about All Might," he gestures to Yagi, back in an oversized suit. "I'm guessing Eraser since he saw him deflate after we left."

"So you really can sense that," Yagi taps his chin in thought before getting back to the topic. "All the UA staff knows, we're trying to keep it private, that includes the other students."

"Yeah, villains would go wild if they knew you couldn't kick ass like you used to," Horizon says. "Well you're still my patient so this doesn't change anything...if anything this is just annoying me even more, because now I know for sure that I extended your life just for you to exert yourself and undo my work...wasting my time..."

"For the record, I've been trying to get him to retire for the past few years," Recovery Girl says, "but Toshinori has muscles for brains."

"Yeah, I noticed," Horizon grumbles.

And the proud number 1 hero just sits there feeling small as both his doctors cut him down.

"So I assume whoever did that is gone now, right?" Horizon asks, gesturing to Yagi's injury. "I'm surprised you could be hurt that badly, must have been one hell of a fight."

"It was, and yes the villain is gone now, I made sure of it," a bit of rage bubbles up in Yagi's voice before it disappears.

"I see," the room falls silent as Horizon thinks for a moment. "Well this doesn't change anything, but at least now I better understand why Yagi was so valuable to Nezu, and why you're so desperate for a new Symbol Of Peace."

"Not desperate," Nezu says. "We still have years of time, and there are many people I could have supported, but you were the most logical choice, even under the questionable circumstances," he says, trying not to give Recovery Girl and Yagi too many hints.

"I still don't see it, but whatever, are we done here? Honestly, it's only the second day at UA and it already feels like I've been here a week..."

"I'd just like to go over some of the new developments with your Quirk," Nezu says, Recovery Girl and Yagi begin moving to exit. "Have a good evening you two."

They both turn and give a polite nod before leaving, leaving only Nezu and Horizon in the room.

"So, Telekinesis?" Nezu asks.

"Close enough."

"Air Slashes?"

"Not really but sure."

"And the ghost bullets?"

"Self-explanatory, right?"

"Not at all, but they're invisible and undetectable, very dangerous in the hands of someone with lethal intent."

"I'll take your word for it," Horizon chuckles.

Nezu sighs and shakes his head. "You know you'll have to give proper explanations for your big debut right, for marketability and all that."

"I know, but until then let's just say I rather keep it mysterious," Horizon shrugs. "Honestly when I explain what I can do nobody sane or smart will want to fight me, but the dramatic reveal will get a lot of views and make me even more famous."

"And slingshot you ahead of your peers on the path to being a top hero..."

"Mhm," Horizon nods. "Now, can we wrap this up, I wanna go get food and head home."

"One last thing, are you sure the situation with All Might doesn't change anything between us?" Nezu asks, caution in his voice, but already predicting a certain answer.

"Changes nothing," Horizon says. "I still don't renegotiate contracts, but if anything this makes it a lot stronger."

"How so?"

"Well...now I know how badly you need me to step up as some great hero...and if you ever stab me in the back, I also know for sure the only person who had any chance of stopping me from turning Japan into rubble and ash, already has a foot in the grave. And you know I know this so you'll stay in line."

Nezu doesn't react, perfectly predicting this response, "I see, well that's good to hear, especially since I intend to honor our deal fully."

"Good, now if that's all..."

"It is, I'll see you tomorrow, I hope you've been enjoying your time at UA."

"It's pretty boring, but the people aren't that bad, but I've had enough of it for today."

"Mhm, and about your harsh words to Midoriya yesterday?" Nezu asks flatly.

"You gonna give me a 'play nice' talk?"

"No, I know you already understood the potential repercussions, not that there are any, but if you went any further---"

"I wouldn't tell him to kill himself...in school."

Nezu sighs and shakes his head, "do try to recall you're training to be a hero."

"So is he, so he can either be a pussy and quit, or just get over it..."

SHAMBLES

---5 Minutes Earlier...

Wearing his UA uniform with his right arm bandaged up, Izuku rushes out of the main building, as always, desperate to catch up to Bakugo.

"Kacchan!" He calls out, and Bakugo stops just in front of the main UA gate, not turning around to face Izuku. "Wait, there's something I need to tell you!"

Bakugo just silently stands there, back still facing Izuku, not bothering to respond.

"I-it's about my Quirk---" Izuku immediately freezes, questioning exactly what he was about to do.

'But I promised All Might I wouldn't tell him, tell anyone. But it's Kacchan, we've been friends for a long time, and I can tell it's killing him inside that he thinks I kept this from him. He thinks I was just mocking him by pretending to be Quirkless...but will he even believe me, I barely believed All Might, and he's All Might...'

"The truth is," he finally musters the courage to continue, determined to explain the situation to Bakugo. "My Quirk was---"

"I don't care Deku," Bakugo looks back at him over his shoulder, and Izuku can see tears flowing down his face, a mix of rage and sadness on his face.

"Kacchan?" he mutters, not sure what he was even seeing, his symbol of victory looked so helpless, like he needed saving.

"I don't care about your Quirk, or you...I can't," Bakugo says surprisingly quietly, as if this is the first time he's admitting it to himself. "I failed at everything today, I lost to you of all people, then Ponytail and Glass Face tore me apart in the review...and I agreed with them."

"Kac---"

"Then I saw them fight," he spits bitterly, now turning to face Izuku. "I knew I couldn't beat Icy-Hot from his first move! Then that fucking Glass Face had to go and crush him! And he's the worst one! Heroes are supposed to give their all no matter what, and the real hero will always win! But he doesn't even try...so why did he win?!"

He wipes his tears with his sleeve and Izuku just stands helpless.

"But I knew I couldn't win, I couldn't even beat you, how the hell am I supposed to fight them?! So I don't care about your Quirk, or why you're here...if I only focus on you I'll never beat them, I'll never be the best! So I'm done with you, Deku..." he mutters his name quietly and turns around, wiping his tears one more time.

Bakugo grips his shirt and declares proudly, "I'll work ten times as hard, I'll keep giving it everything I have! I'll beat Icy-Hot, and even Glass Face... I'll be the best hero!" he desperately pants, trying to catch his breath. And in a smaller, tired voice, he ends the conversation. "And every second I spend thinking about you, they get further ahead...so just stay out of my way..."

Bakugo leaves Izuku frozen in place, unable to say a single word as his mind still can't process what happened.

Watching Bakugo walk away Izuku looks down at his bandaged hand, seeing the tears falling from his eyes onto it.

"Kacchan, you really think you can't win?" he mutters to himself. "Then what am I supposed to do, he gave me this power and I can't even use it properly, I had to break myself to barely get past you."

Izuku looks up, glancing around the walkway to the main UA building, seeing all the statues of UA's founders lining both sides of the path, then looks up at the intimidating building, the learning ground for All Might, Endeavor, Best Jeanist, and dozens of other top pros.

"An entire campus of people more worthy than me to have this power All Might...you should have chosen one of them..."

He blinks a few times, a dangerous idea popping into his mind. With some hesitation he reaches up to touch his hair, remembering how All Might passed One For All onto him only a month ago.

"One For All should belong to the next Symbol Of Peace...Horizon..."

END CHAPTER---

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